Protection Status Protection Status: CITES Appendix II National Legislation: Hunting and trade regulated throughout its range (Govt. of Canada 1983, Govt. of US 1983a, 1992). In 1988, 37 states and five Indian groups were authorized by the US government to export bobcat pelts (Anon. 1989a). On a regional level, in the US the bobcat is totally protected in 10 states; in Canada, nowhere; and in Mexico, hunting is regulated in five states, and shooting of suspected livestock predators is permitted on a limited basis (Govt. of US 1983a, Govt. of Canada 1983; M. Aranda in litt. 1993). The degree to which the bobcat has been studied and managed in North America on both the local and national levels make it probably the most thoroughly examined species in international trade today (Thomsen and Luxmoore 1990, Johnson 1990). Occurrence in Protected Areas: Bobcats are likely to be found in nearly all protected areas within their range, but confirmed records were available only for US parks and reserves (WCMC, unpubl. data). Refugia play an important role for harvested populations, which are maintained primarily by immigration (Knick 1990). Knick (1990) developed a population model which predicted that the size of refugia needed to maintain a harvested population should be large enough to enclose 3-5 bobcat home ranges. Flores-Villela and Fernández (1989) point out that dryland scrub habitat, important for bobcats in Mexico, is under-represented in the protected areas system.

© 1996 IUCN - The World Conservation Union